Pilotage | Salcombe Harbour

Navigating into Salcombe Harbour

Visiting yachtsmen are encouraged to obtain navigational information available from official publications e.g. Admiralty Pilot and Charts or one of the many yachtsmen’s pilots, guides or almanacs available.

RELEVANT ADMIRALTY CHARTS Nos. 28 & 1613, Imray Y48, Y43 & C6, OS 202 & OL20

The harbour lies between Bolt Head to the west and Prawle Point to the east. Salcombe’s Bar, made famous in Tennyson’s “Crossing of the Bar”, stretches south westerly across the entrance from Limebury Point on the east side. This sand bar has a least depth of 0.5 metres LAT and should not be negotiated on an ebb tide with strong onshore winds or swell.

Click to enlarge

The entrance leading line (000°T) is marked by a red and white striped pole with red topmark on the Poundstone Rock, with a second beacon behind it on Sandhill Point, which is white with a horizontally striped red and white diamond topmark. The rear beacon displays a Directional Flashing light WRG.2s, of which the white sector 357°-002°T shows the leading line. Once Blackstone Rock is abeam to starboard, the main fairway course of 042°T can be set, marked by transit lights near to Scoble Point. The navigable channel through the turn from 000 T to 045 T is marked by six lateral buoys. Three port hand buoys at Bass Rock, Poundstone and Castle with FL.R.5s lights and three starboard hand buoys at Wolf Rock, Blackstone South and Blackstone North with FL.G.5s lights.

Racing Dingy Free Fairway

During a dinghy race start sequence a boat lane/racing dinghy free fairway will be established between Millbay/Woodville Rocks and the East Portlemouth Ferry crossing. This is denoted by a line of yellow buoys on the town side of the channel with a yellow cross at either end and is active when the SYC Watch House displays yellow flashing lights. All non-racing traffic is requested to proceed within this lane maintaining a good look out.

THIS IS 6 KNOT ZONE - PLEASE KEEP WAKE TO A MINIMUM

Safety Within Salcombe Harbour

To maintain safety when navigating within the harbour there are various byelaws to which you must comply. The harbour gets very busy, especially over the summer months and during events requiring particular attention to your speed, wake and any active Local Notices To Mariners. All resident craft (including Kayaks and SUP’s) and those visiting from land are required to display their harbour dues sticker clearly on their vessel. All craft must be clearly named and hold applicable insurance with third party to £3,000,000.